Haitian lawmakers seek ouster of prime minister

With Haiti poised to enjoy the economic benefits of long-elusive stability, foreign diplomats are scrambling behind the scenes to keep it all from unraveling as several lawmakers demand the ouster of the country's prime minister.

A small but powerful group of senators is seeking the removal of Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis -- and possibly several of her ministers -- on charges that she has moved too slowly to solve Haiti's problems.

"The situation is critical," said Sen. Jean Hector Anacasis, who is among the six senators behind a recent summons for Pierre-Louis to appear before Haiti's Senate on Thursday. Under Haiti's constitution, the Senate can fire a sitting government.

"We are the ones on the ground who hear the people's cry, who hear them criticizing us, the government, saying nothing has been done. We have to replace the woman," Anacasis said. "If they are accusing us of inviting a crisis, then we are inviting a crisis to avert another crisis."

The internal political maneuvering comes just three weeks after former U.S. President and U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti Bill Clinton led a historic trade mission here, triggering optimism that this land of seemingly missed opportunities may finally be turning around.